Braiding device



Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE GTJ'SIAV' A. BOETTCHER, 0F JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB T0' MULTI-NEEDLE EN- GINEERING- CORPORATION, 0F NEW YRK, N. Y.

BBAIDING Z'DIEIVICE I Application led February This invention relates to multineedle sewing and quilting machines, and more particularly to attachments' for4 the same adapting the machines to perform more elaborate and' vfasten said ornamental accessory to said fabric while following the predetermined paths of their respective designs.

It is also lan object of my invention to provide machines of this class with a finger bar which is arranged to move solely in horizontal planes through a smoothly curved path which avoids sharp changes in .direction and therefore may run very smoothly at a high speed without und'ue vibration or noise. This allows of increased output for such machines g and greatly enhances their eiiciency.-

' Other objects andv resulting advantages will appear hereinafter as this specification proceeds. l

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view of the main portion of a i quilting machine equipped with anattachment made according to my invention and em# vbodying the same, the central portion of the machine being-cutout to allow of clearer illustration.

Fig, 2 is a side .view of the same on line 354- in Fig.I 1.

Fig. 3 is a simllar view with only the most essential operativel parts shown, being now' in more advanced position.

Fig. 4 is al plan view of a section of the, linger bar 8 of the previous views in operative position. Y

Fig. 5is a view of a fabric with a braid or similar accessory as it appears when run through the machine. e

Fig. 6 is a plan'view of a linger of the machine in one extreme operative positionrela- 3, 192B. Serial No. 85,722.

tive toan adjacent needle, anda series of successive Fig. cam transmission in Fig. 1. i Fig. 8 isa top view of the same transmission. r

Throughout the views, the same reference is a left end view of the gear and locatedat the eXtreme right numerals indicate the same or duplicate parts.

In vthe operation of sewing and quilting machines Eof the class mentioned, fabrics are often encountered which are possessed of such a texture that the thread of the machine needles becomes so deeply worked into the .fabric surface that the latter becomes some-v what depressed, which results in practically concealing the thread. But if the thread is caused to contract upon and secure a cord or a braid to the fabric surface, the design which the needles may be following will immediately become more apparent, as the cord will be easily visible.

In order to accomplish this desirable result, i

positions indicated in dotted outlines.

I may use a quilting machine which includes a pair of spaced corresponding'frame members 1 1, and a pair of tie rods 2--2 securing the frames together. Upon these rods a pair of similar needle plunger blocks 3--3 are rigidly mounted, and between them a pair of presser plunger blocks are secured at 4 4. In each of the needle plungerblocks a plunger 11 is slidably mounted, the two plungers shown bein secured at their lower extremities to a nee Ale bar 12 to support the latter and whereby the bar may be raised and lowered. Similarly. a plunger 14 is movably mounted lin each of the b1ocks'4-4 and is secured at the lower extremity to a presser foot or bar 15. The actual means for raising and lowering these two sets of plungers have been omitted as being too well known, and, moreover form no 'part of thepresent invention.

Likewise, the supportin and 1 movingmeansl for the fabric table 50 as been omitted for the same reasons," the table anda frag.

ment of a fabric at 44 being, despite the omissions located in proper -relative positions to the. machine. v

However, the'novel and useful features of my invention are carried out by mounting a pair of similarpinion arms 5-5 on aforesaid rods 2-f2of the machine. On each of these arms, a pair of oppositely disposed gib plates 6 and 10 are secured to furnish bearings for 5 a pinion shaft 47 While housing the pinions 7-7 whichare mounted on said shaft. Furto slidably support a finger bar 8, and, as the 1'5l racks are controlled by the same shaft, they Will'move together'whent'he shaft and pinions are rotated and Willr therefore move said 'bar uniformly along itsentire length.

\ The finger barhas a series of transverse 20. grooves 48--48 in which a row of fingers rest,

while a block 31 is screwed upon the bar upon each of the fingers to `retain the same. Each c v finger is adapted to normally project over the` presser Ifoot'l and'terminates in a double eye as, or head 32, one of these -apertures being'noted as 33 and the other noted 34. The apertures maybe of different sizes, or, 'as in the case ofthe`finger51 the head 52vhasa single large a erture or'slot which may accommodate a sa, ri bon or-Wide braid.

dic'ated at 13. If a piece of fabric 44 is placed under the needles as in the'first three views,

35` the needle especially shown inaction is furnished with an ordinary thread 45, While the ornamental cord 42 is `first passedthrou han eye 43 on" the n er bar, thenceinto t e egein-the finger hea 32. Both the cordand 40,-t read ass-down through the needle aperture 49 in the presser foot to the fabric beneath Where the ,thread meshes the cord to the fabf ric.;

VThe relative positions and possiblemove- .4m-ments' of the fingers with respect to their adjacent needles are entirelyV novel, as the fingers and the ,bar 8 upon Which they are set may bev advancedtoa point where thefin-gers wil -project beyond the `needles first-on. one

' 50 side, then withal-mathe bar slid Slightly through` rack blocks 30-30 andthe fingers again advanced beyondv the needles on the other side. Tl1is 'is, in-effect, a semi-circular orhorse-shoe movement of the finger Iheads 5s; abouttheir .respectiveneedles constituting .a

o movement of lessthan 3609..` I n, the sixth view,this` is directlyindicated by a plan view of .the movement of a portion fof a finger .i '1G-32. In thelfirstandflowest position, the Y litfingeris advanced to the extreme'positionon the near` Vside of needle 413,' While a`t36 and 37.

' the fingris more andi'more Withdrawn Whilef i 1 also beginning toA beshifted A`tothe other side. iKia-315iandr`39.- the finger-'is shifted more yet,

.placed b Within th portion of the transmission frame, a second g ,i As is usual in machlnes of this class, the bar 121s provided4 with a series of lneedles as 1n-'` -reached,`the movement of the finger is reversed and is returned'to the first position through the successive stages 40, 39, 38, 37 and 36, when another change in movement is again effected. Thus, the finger is normally adapted to reciprocate in a practically semicircular path about the needle. The practical efect of this movement will presently be notedfwhen the means by which it is accomplished is described.

The pinion shaft 47 is furnished with a lever arm 17 at one extremity, While a short rod 18 issecured to the free extremity and adapted t'o extend beyondn .the adjacent frame 1. Andl beyondv this frame is located a transmission frame 22 which is provided with a horizontal shaft 27. This shaft has a gear 29 mounted on one extremity by which to drive the apparatus and which may `be engaged by a gear mounted on the main shaft of the machine or on a motor or by any other motive means. Or the gear may be rea pulley and driven by a belt. e frame 22 a bevel gearis secured on the shaft, While at the inner extremity anfeccentric cam is mounted. In the upper evel gear is suspended at 26 which is en aged by the `first bevel gear 28, and a secon cam .25 is mounted 'above the ytransmission frame nected to the lever in 18, and rotation of the cam 21 will thus raise and lower yoke 20, bar l 19 and throughpin 18 move lever arm 17, and -l thereby partly rotate the reciprocal manner.

pinion shaft 47 in n' As has been already stated, rotation of the I' shaft 47 willr advance or Withdrawy the finger lbar Withits seriesvof fingers from between the needles, according to the direction 'of rotation. In similar manner, a cam yoke 24 is mounted onthe cam 25 and is movable'thereby. Naturally, this cam moves simultaneousi. 1y wlth the former cam, although their yokes 1 5 mayV have entirely different movements according to their difference in timing and relativejform. i The finger bar 8 is connected to yoke 24 by a link 23, which 'ermits the yoke to directly reciprocate the ar according to the movement imparted by cam or eccentric .215,the bar being, ofcourse, lslidablevin vthe blocks 304-,3Oas mentioned. This will adord a sidemovement to lthe fingers and, if the cams are lrelativelyso .timed thatfirst cam 21 "scauses anj-fadvanceof the fingers to the rightA side-of the adj'lacentneedles, and then a Witlidrawal lof the same, then cam 25 will .cause alateral 'movement toward the other side. V'Ihfm'Ca11 1'21 vsfill'cause an advance of the 133 fingers on the far side of the needles. Continuous rotation of the transmission will indefinitely produce these movements so that each finger will have, as it were, a horse-shoe movement about its adjacent needle.

Of course, the movements of the fingers justv described must bear a direct relation to the movements of the needles with which they cooperate, but the motive elements of the needle plungers are known, and do not form any partof this invention, it being sufficient to construct and time the herein described transmission in agreement with the movements of the needles and presser foot.

If now a piece of fabric, such as quilting, felt orv any article of like nature is introduced beneath the presser foot at 44, a thread 45 may be passed through the needle from 'a spool or similar source down through the aperture in the presser foot to the fabric, and is formed into stitches by any known stitch formingmechanism which is in the present instance omitted and merely represented by -a curved support table or apron 50.- The cord or braid passes through the finger block eyes 43-43 froma convenient source of supply and thence through the eye of the finger, and, finally down through the aperture of the presser foot to the fabric to which itis secured by the thread of the needle. As the needle is raised, the finger with its braid moves around the needle positionto lay the cord in the path of the next stitch. This operation is' iepeated each time the needle descends to form a stitch, P

vslidable racks individually mounted upon the result being-similar to 46 asl showniii the fifth view.

It is cleai that the finger bar by moving through curved paths back and forth, thereby. avoids sharp or sudden changes in the direction of its movement exceptat the exti'eme positions, and hence eliminates vibration and noise that would result if the bar,- should intermediately pass around corners through angular paths of movement. There is also an advantage attained by moving the bar in practically only horizontal planes, for

the added problem of contending with the force of gravitywhen moving in vertical or.

high pitched planes is also avoided. I-Iowever, in view of the fact that the movement is always a smooth c urve for the finger bar,y the latter may be swung around such a path at a' considerably greater speed than if its path ywere a triangle, a rectangle or required any angular movement differing from the horseshoe path which I have discovered to be practically ideal for this purpose.- It is also an added advantage that thecurved path about the needle eliminates thread breakage.

Of course, `I may use any design or ligure'.I for the fabric, as desired, and may also pass two or more cords through each finger or alternate fingers to be stitched to the fabric in the machine, these points merely illustrating 4ing attachment including a pair of arms secured to said machine and provided'with a pair of corresponding racks, each of said racks terminating at one extremity yin the .form of a'block, a transverse bar slidably mounted in said blocks and provided with a series of braid guides, and means to reciprocally move said bar andl said racks including a pinion arranged upon each arm in mesh with the adjacent rack.

2. In a-multi-nee'dle sewing machine having a fabric support and a needle support provided with a series ofneedles, a pair of arms mounted upon said 4machine and a pinion rotatably supported upon each arm, a rack slidably mounted upon each arm and meshing with therespective pinion supported upon said arm, a shaft connecting said pinions to synchronize the same, a bar slidably mounted upon said racks and provided with a plurality of braid fingers, means to partly rotate said shaft and means to slide said bar reciprocally along its axis.l

3. In a multi-needle sewing machine having a fabric support and supporting means for a plurality of needles,'a plurality of suporting arms arranged upon said machine,

upon each of said arms in mesh with the respective pinion thereof, a bar movablyl supported upon said racks, and means to move said racks and said bar.

5.` In a multi-needle sewing machine pro l vided with a fabric support and a frame for said machine, a needle support upon said machine, a` pair of arms rigidly secured te the frame thereof, a pair of slidable racks'mounted on said arms in relative parallelism, a pinionrotatably supported upon each arm in mesh with the rack upon said arm, a shaft connecting said pinions and provided with a lever, a'finger bar slidably suppported upon said racks and'arranged to move along its length, and means to partially rotate said shaft .and in ove said yvbar, including a pair of by means of a second link to said pinion shaft cams, a link connectigone` of said cams tol said finger bar anda yoke providing the connection between'said link and said cam, a second -yoke upon the other cam and a link associated with said second yoke and connectedl to said shaft lever.

6. The combination in a multi-needle sewing machine, of a frame anda needle support,`an arm secured upon said frame, a guide I '1.0, track mounted upon said arm in a transverse position relative to said needle support, a rack slidably arranged in said track and provided vvith a slotted block, a pinion also mounted upon said arm-,in meshwith Said rack and provided with a shaft, a lever upon said pinion shaft,a`bar slidably supported in said slotted block, means to slide said bar and means to actuate said lever, including a link connected to said'bar, a second link con nected to said lever vand means to actuatesaid links. w

7. A multi-needle sewing Vmachine including a frame, a needle support, an arm having a guide track thereon and projectingrigidly from said f'iame, a-rack slidably mount-` ed on said track and providedwith a bearing block upon .one extremity thereof, a finger bar slidably supported insaid block and projecting therethrough, a ,pinion meshing. with said rack and provided with a -shaft rotatably supported upon said arm, a lever fast upon said shaft, and means for actuating saidv pinion and rack and' said finger bar including apair otcams mounted at an angle to eachother, ayo'ke upon onecam connected to said linger ar by means of a link, and a secondjyoke uponthe other cam connected lever.

machine intermediate the extremities of said arcuate paths and reciprocations" of said fingers.

10. The combination in a multi-needle sevv! ing machine havin a fabric support, means for supporting ap urality 'of needles, and a movable finger bar having a' plurality ofl fingers thereon, of means for solely` actuating said finger bar in a relatively horizontal pl-ane in such manner as to move said fingers through smoothly-curved arcs about said needles in reciprocal fashion', whereby to reduce vibration of the machine as a whole and permit running the same at a relatively high speed.

11. The combination in a multi-needle sewing machine having a fabri support, means for su porting a pluralit J of needles, and a movab e linger bar provi ed With a plurality i of braid fingers thereon, of means for actuating and guidingA said finger-bar in such manneras to shift said lingers reciprocally about said needles through'smoothly curved paths for the purpose of reducing vibration of the machine and permitting the same to be operated at a relatively lngh. speed, as Well as avoiding strain on the threads of the machine associated With said needles.

`In testimony whereof, I have signed my l name to this specification this first day of February, 1926. l

GUSTAV A. BOETTCHER.

8. The combination, a multi-needle i vsewing. machine having a fabric support,

means for supporting a; plurality of needles', A

' aslidable finger bar, and an independently slidable member arranged to move in rela'- tively horizontal planes and supporting -said finger barof means for sliding said finger' bar and actuating said independently slidf ablevmember in solely horizontal planes, there being a plurality of braid fingers mounted on said' finger bar, said' sliding 'and actuating means being arranged to shift' said fingersl 'about said needles in smoothly curved paths v10o l los to avoid .vibration andpermit high speed operation of said machine as a' whole.

9. vThe combination with multi-needle I ing machine lhavin .a Afabric support, means for supporting a p urality of needles, Va'slid' able finger bar having a, pluralit'y of pro-4 jecting fingers arrangedsthereon, and' am v` able support for said fingerbar, of means for so moving said linger bar{slup'pc'irtA and ,actu-f planes as to-shit, said" lingers .about said needles reciprocall in` smoothly 1 arcuate paths in order to e iminate vibration of the.V

lating-#said linger ',bar solely?v in, horizontal lao miA 

